So earlier this month something very irrelevant happened in the NFL, they banned the use of Beats by Dre headphones. Everyone has their pre-game rituals and music has always been a big part for many. For example, I have a playlist on my phone for every sport I have ever played. The tipping point came when Beats had Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49’s quarterback, star in a commercial that had him getting off a bus wearing Beats by Dre so he couldn’t hear the insults coming from the rival team’s fans.
The NFL made a deal with Bose, a rivaling company with Beats in the headphone game, which allows them to control which headphones a player can and cannot wear during any camera time. The NFL is allowing Bose to do this and has fined many players for showing up with Beats on this year, on the list are Colin Kaepernick and Richard Sherman both players are endorsed by Beats and have contracts to show off the product. My question is how can the NFL allow this to happen. Both players have stated they will not stop wearing the headphones and I do not blame them.
Bose put this ban on rivals so they could profit the most off of these athletes, but contrary to their beliefs the sales of Beats have gone up because people see them as the ‘underdog’ and who doesn’t like an underdog to win. As of right now Beats has 61 percent of the premium headphone market and Bose only has 22 percent. Beats are slowly taking more control because the NFL enforces the rule. The NFL stated that Bose has no part in enforcing the punishments for the players but because the NFL has done this Bose is suffering. I have a pair of Bose headphones because I enjoy the sound quality and the weight and the way they fit my head. I just can’t believe the NFL is trying to control players lives so much and it will end up hurting those companies that endorse the NFL. If this keeps up the NFL will control what players are allowed to eat before a game. If someone wants to pump themselves up before they play they should be able to wear whatever headphones they want to.
Until next time, “Get Stuffed, Go Buffs!”
darealdreamteam 